External Communications
Like their emerging sage counterparts, senior sages identify internal and external communications issues as troubling.
The biggest roadblock I experienced in serving on the board was management’s initial inability to understand the important role that marketing plays in any organization. This education process has been on-going. A related roadblock has been the challenge of convincing management to allocate funds to create and implement a marketing plan.
One challenge has to do with changing the public perception of what our clinic was 20 years ago to what in reality it is today. I believe we have moved a long way toward raising the awareness in the community of the clinic’s value. But the view still persists in some circles that we are a little clinic out in the boondocks.
Internal Stress and Conflict
The sources of internal conflict and stress are many, including problems with volunteer governance, distrust, board and staff issues, and lack of teamwork:
Volunteer governance has inherent roadblocks. It is very difficult to “beam-in” a cadre of volunteers once a month to deliberate complex issues when these people have a wide range of knowledge, commitment, and belief.
The roadblocks primarily have been people who have distrust so high on their radar that they can’t get past or evaluate an idea on its merits. It can also involve paranoia and fear. Or it may be their personal inability to develop relationships that creates obstacles.
There were difficult relationships between the staff and the board. Once you get focused on the idea of the team, you have got to make it work. We used the theme of a three-legged stool (tasks, processes, attitudes) at a retreat, which I saw as a very valuable tool. We had new board members and had to find a way to get them to know other members. One of the things I remember so clearly is that we broke into three groups and recounted stories of what had led us into leadership roles. Some of the things we heard were amazing, and it opened our eyes and hearts.
Personal Issues
Senior sage leaders are candid in saying that some of the roadblocks in their favored organizations are their own fault:
Most of the roadblocks I have experienced in the organization have to do with myself. Historically, success has been very important to me and failure to be avoided at all costs. Being up front and center is not my favorite thing to do, although I have done a lot of it. I don’t like personal attention. I simply want to put it out there and get everyone involved in getting things done.
The challenge for me has been not to overdo and be on all the committees, as well as learning how to step back and not be so involved.
We had a board member who was abusing the office staff. I met with him and asked that he stop. He thought about it and decided to resign from the board, although he is still supporting the organization. That was a success. He was a major contributor, and I was very much afraid he would stop. But he hasn’t.
Differences between Nonprofit and For-Profit Organizations
Like emerging sages, some senior sage leaders experience challenges in understanding nonprofit culture:
I had never really been around non-profits before so I have been learning to deal with that non-profit mindset, and the fact that everyone is a volunteer. You have to be highly persuasive to get things accomplished.
I think the most challenging thing with all organizations involving volunteers is the same as in business: personalities! In a business you have some control, but with volunteers you have much less of it.
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